Jaywon, the Nigerian singer has stirred reactions after claiming that many gospel and Afrobeats musicians are still copying the style of his popular 2012 hit track, This Year.
The singer made this statement while expressing his disappointment at Billboard for excluding the song from its recently released list of the Top 50 Best Afrobeats Songs of All-Time.
Jaywon said his song has remained relevant since its release over a decade ago and argued that it continues to enjoy massive cultural influence in Nigeria and beyond.
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Writing on his official X handle, he said, “‘This Year’ by Jaywon had more viral moments and cultural impact than some tracks Billboard decided to rank. Trending since 2012 and still going strong. Tell me, who else has pulled that off? Hate is inevitable. Year after year, both gospel and Afrobeats acts copy the same vibe, yet we remain unshaken. No song on that list has more cultural impact than This Year.”
This Year, also known as Odun Yi, was released in 2012 and quickly became one of the most popular festive songs in Nigeria. It is often played during New Year celebrations, weddings, birthdays, church programmes and other occasions, making it a household anthem for over a decade.
The song’s chorus and theme of prayer and blessings have also made it a favourite among gospel artists, with several remixes, covers and performances inspired by the track over the years.
Despite this cultural presence, Jaywon expressed shock that the song was not recognised by Billboard in its compilation of Afrobeats classics.
eelive.ng reports that 2Face Idibia’s African Queen was ranked number one on Billboard’s list. Other songs in the top five include Wizkid’s Ojuelegba, Flavour’s Nwa Baby, Rema’s Calm Down, and CKay’s Love Nwantiti.